London. Founded by the Romans in about 50AD it is the most visited city in the world, attracting 16.8 million tourists in 2013. And it falls to one group to shepherd these cash-splashing, history-hungry visitors around our fair city – tour guides.

But what do we really know about these bastions of the open-top buses?

Muswell Hill actress Charlotte Cooper-Garcha is here to spill the beans with her new web series, Tour Girls, based on her own exploits showing foreigners our famous landmarks over the last two and half years with Big Bus Tours.

“Some of the things tourists have asked me have been too funny not to tell,“ says the 21-year-old. “Someone gave me a slice of cheesecake as a present, which I was slightly worried they’d poisoned, and someone asked for a private tour of me.

“And I’ve done things like calling the Cheapside Hoard the cheap whore. Shamefully a lot of what you see in the series is true.“ The idea came to her in a flash one night in 2012 when she couldn’t sleep, and after the self-funded £500 pilot proved popular, she raised £3,000 in May on Kickstarter to fund the full six-part web series.

The first 14-minute episode aired on December 11 and has already racked up 1,249 views, and the next episode will air on January 1.

The cast and crew of 50 filmed most of the scenes in central London, but also did scenes at Jacksons Lane in Highgate and at Charlotte’s flat near Ally Pally.

“I hired an open-top Routemaster for £500 a day and we filmed the whole thing in a week in September,“ says the Ealing-born actress.

“I don’t think I slept for six days.“ The mockumentary follows the exploits of three guides – Scarlett, played by Charlotte, who ’doesn’t like speaking in public or meeting new people’, and seasoned guides Ashleigh (Grace Blackman), an aspiring actress who is told by her agent to gain weight as ’the crime reconstructions love the fatties’ and Welsh Karen (Amelie Owen) who knows “too much“ about London.

Charlotte, who also runs the theatre company Paint Dry Theatre with Amelie and has written a play The House That Looks Like Hitler, which will be performed at The Courtyard Theatre in February, says she admires actress Olivia Coleman and films such as Bridesmaids, and her aim is to create more female-led comedy.

“This is very topical at the moment as lots of people are campaigning for better female roles in films with the Bechdel Test.

“As an actress who trained at Rada, I specialise in comedy and I was fed up of the roles I was being put up for. I wanted a part that I could really get my teeth stuck into – something witty and clever. Instead I got the moaning girlfriend role or sad dumped girl looking for the nearest tub of Ben and Jerry’s.“

She adds: “Also one of the main reasons for doing Tour Girls is I don’t want to be one of those people who just sits at home waiting for the phone to ring – I think as an actor you have to be pro-active.“

Tour Guides will air on January 1, 8, 15, 22 and 29. Details: tourgirls.london The House That Looks Like Hitler will show at The Courtyard Theatre, Pitfield Street, from February 10 to 14. Details: thecourtyard.org.uk